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HomeArticlesWhen prisons become redundant (excerpt)

When prisons become redundant (excerpt)

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When prisons become redundant (excerpt)
Ana Bie
Share International
January/February 2022
If the purpose of detention is to reduce crime, boost rehabilitation and cut re-offending, then few people really believe that the prison-based model of justice works. Prison is simply not an effective way to reduce crime.

Nations vary greatly in their approach to criminal law and justice practices. The way prisoners are treated and who is put in jail reveals much about a country’s attitude towards its inhabitants.

Throughout the world the over-use of imprisonment is causing overcrowded prisons with inhumane, degrading and dangerous conditions, impacting mental and physical health and the safety of prisoners and staff alike. …

If the purpose of punishment and detention is to reduce crime, boost rehabilitation and cut re-offending, then few people really believe that the prison-based model of justice works. Prison is simply not an effective way to reduce crime, and many claim that it only enhances criminal identity and connections. For inmates who suffer from drug addiction or mental illness, being in custody certainly does not help. Imprisonment also destabilizes family life and often leads to the loss of job, home and social relations.

The changing views on correctional facilities have led several countries to adopt a less punitive approach and to treat detainees with greater humanity, seeing that a more humane approach has a big impact on how these people will behave when returning to society.

In Europe, the Netherlands is one of the countries with the lowest incarceration rate, at 60 per 100,000 inhabitants. In comparison, the imprisonment rate in the UK is 131 per 100,000, and in the United States it is 629 per 100,000, the highest rate in the world.

The changes in criminal policy in the Netherlands have resulted in offenders being much less likely to receive a prison sentence, as the tendency is to avoid jailing people unless it is necessary. Fines or community service are more common, as well as court-ordered mediation. If prison sentences are given, they are mostly kept very short. Soft drug use and sex work have been decriminalized.

Half of the people in Dutch prisons have received a one-month sentence, and there is an increased use of alternatives to imprisonment, such as electronic tagging. There is much investment in youth intervention schemes, and, for offenders who do end up in prison, personalized intervention programs which focus on the individuals’ strengths, talents and possibilities. These are aimed at helping people to access the skills and networks they need in order to rebuild their lives and break the re-offending cycle. Prisons are also generally of a much higher standard and better staffed than in most other countries.

For convicts with mental health problems and drug addictions, a special psychological rehabilitation programme known as TBS is part of the criminal justice system. The aim is to prevent another crime and to address the psychological conditions and the social problems that follow. These detainees, who have complex and difficult backgrounds, stay in treatment centres where they receive specialist help to work on themselves in order to become able to re-enter society. …

Ana Bie is a Share International co-worker based in Kristiansand, Norway.  (see more)
Related articles
A blueprint for the future: utopian thinking — Part 1 (excerpt)
Corné Quartel (Share International, December 2022)

A common definition of utopia is: ‘A place, state or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and social conditions.’ This does not mean all people are perfect (or ‘enlightened’), but that the system is; it sustains all life and creates the circumstances for people to grow spiritually, to expand their knowledge of the universe and the laws of life.

The surprising case for Universal Basic Income (excerpt)
Mitch Williams (Share International, January/February 2022)

Universal Basic Income (UBI) can be defined as “Periodic, universal, unconditional cash payments to individuals to provide an income floor for all citizens.” It is ‘universal’ in that it goes to all members of society. It is ‘basic’ in that it is enough to meet all of an individual’s or a family’s basic needs. And it provides unconditional, recurring ‘income’ payments.

Half of Americans endorse Maitreya’s top priorities (excerpt)
Cher Gilmore (Share International, December 2020)

Liberal Democrats increasingly say all basic needs (food, housing, healthcare, education) should ideally be guaranteed by the government for everyone. They also increasingly say the world would be more peaceful if wealth were divided more equally among nations.

The pandemic and the Overton window (excerpts)
Scott Champion (Share International, July/August 2020)

Benjamin Creme maintained that one day humanity would be brought face to face with a profound wilderness experience of significant depth and impact. Arising out of this experience, the world’s governments would be put to the test to prioritize and meet the true needs of their people.

The United Nations – still relevant at 75 (excerpt)
Shereen Abdel Hadi-Tayles (Share International, June 2020)

Since 1945, The United Nations has been tasked with serving the world’s population and alleviating hunger, disease and poverty. Two UN agencies that face great challenges at this time are the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Like all UN agencies, they rely on member state donations to operate.

Kindness born of a crisis (excerpt)
Wanja Amling (Share International, May 2020)

The coronavirus crisis provides us with an opportunity to remake our society for the greater good and learn from the mistakes of the past. Only when the world regards its problems as shared and society as more than an agglomeration of individuals competing for wealth and standing, will we be capable of solving this monumental task.

Advent of the new
The Master —, through Benjamin Creme (Share International, March 2015)

The time immediately ahead will puzzle many, so quick will be the changes, political, economic and social, which will manifest, and so frequently will these changes occur.

Ana Bie is a Share International co-worker based in Kristiansand, Norway.  (see more)
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  • Home
  • Summary
  • In depth
    • Maitreya the World Teacher
      • Overview
      • Maitreya’s priorities
      • Maitreya’s emergence
      • Maitreya’s teachings
      • Maitreya and Jesus
      • Maitreya and other well-known figures
      • Maitreya’s Messages
      • Frequently asked questions about Maitreya
      • Articles about Maitreya from Share International magazine
    • Signs of Maitreya’s emergence
      • Overview
      • Crosses of light
      • Light patterns
      • Light blessings
      • Statues and icons
      • Appearances and visions
      • Healing waters
      • Maitreya in Nairobi
      • Maitreya’s hand
      • Maitreya’s ‘Star’
      • UFOs
      • Crop circles
    • The Ageless Wisdom Teaching
    • The Masters of Wisdom
    • Articles by Benjamin Creme’s Master
    • Transmission Meditation
    • Questions and answers
    • Glossary of esoteric terms
  • Resources
    • Share International magazine
    • Magazine subscriptions
    • Library of articles
    • Books
    • Suggested further reading
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Events
    • How can I help?
  • For news media
    • Introduction — some basic tenets
    • Who is Maitreya?
    • Who are the Masters of Wisdom?
    • What are Maitreya’s priorities?
    • Ten quick facts about Maitreya
    • What does this have to do with me?
    • What is Share International?
    • Who was Benjamin Creme?
    • Contact
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